6 Tools For Encouraging Babies and Toddlers to Eat

Because you might need more tricks than “here comes the aeroplane…”

Getting an infant to eat should earn you a degree in sales. You follow all the same steps any business course would recommend. You preview the product to build excitement, “We’ll finish playing blocks and then we’re going to have some yummy lunch”, you speak to the features and benefits, “Ooo those eggs and avocado look so delicious,” and you work the products, “Here it comes on the aeroplane spoon, open wide!” And if the customer rejects it, you spend the next hour trying to convince them they love it in as many different ways as you can think of. World, hand that parent their diploma! To give your pitch some extra oomph, we’ve rounded up six of the best products for making babies and toddlers more interested in eating.

Most babies won’t be able to use a spoon until they are 18 months old, but long before this, offering them cutlery allows them to experiment and ultimately makes it more interesting for them. They don’t want to just watch you feed them, they want to try it for themselves! Letting kids try out cutlery from the beginning of their real-food journey also helps them develop their fine motor skills. Mushie Fork & Spoon Set are great first cutlery (and dishwasher safe) while Rommer Spoons come in a set of two, one for you to use and one for your baby to hold.

A big piece of starting solids with babies is establishing healthy and positive food associations. As part of this, experts recommend eating together with your baby as often as you can (because it’s not always possible). The Leander Classic High Chair and the Tibu High Chair allow your little one to join and eat from the family table with everyone else. This means your baby can watch and mimic the family as they eat, and helps them associate meals as a time they get to spend with their favourite people.

How do you get toddlers to do anything? You gamify it. Mushie Snack Cups are designed with two small handles and a soft opening that little hands can easily slide in and out of (so fun) but also prevents spills. If you’ve ever spent time picking grapes up off the floor, you’ll entirely understand why this product is enticing for both you and your kid. The version from Haakaa has interchangable lids so it can be a snack cup or sippy cup.

This is a genius invention. In short, the Subo Food Bottle replaces all those single-use plastic puree and yoghurt pouches that sometimes feels like the only thing your kid will eat. Fill it with pureed fruits and vegetables, smoothies and yoghurts as well as soft foods like weetbix, oats, porridge or chia. As your child eats, sucking food through the spout, the platform moves automatically up the bottle, pushing the food up and removing the need to tip or squeeze. All they need to do is suck, a recommended move for oral motor development.

There’s nothing like cool crockery to get you jazzed for about a meal. This applies to anyone who knows what “tablescaping” is, and infants. Plates with pictures on the bottom or plates with sections, or plates that have both, like the Done By Deer Silicone Stick & Stay Plate, create interest for little ones and encourage them to interact with their food.

Teether and feeder in one! This tool is great for starting solids. Put fruit, vegetables or meat into the silicone pouch cover and allow them to munch away. If sitting with a plate and spoon isn't their thing, this is a great alternative for getting them interested in food, and guaranteeing they get some nutrients in.